Alina didn’t bother with subtlety; the red-haired girl marched straight toward them, her steps confident, and her training sword hung at her side in its sheath.
Morena watched her approach calmly, though internally she sighed at the thought of having to interact with her. She had hoped to leave before being noticed, but luck hadn’t been on her side during this trip—not only was she noticed, but twice.
Edric straightened slightly at her presence, his easygoing smirk flickering into something more guarded.
He said in a somewhat sarcastic tone as he offered a lazy bow.
Yet Alina ignored him completely, not even batting an eye at the man.
She greeted her with a smile. It was warm on the surface, but there was something beneath it that Morena could pick up on. A trace of arrogance—it wasn’t intentional, rather, it was the kind that came naturally to those used to being praised.
Morena had interacted with such people countless times before in her past life, so she recognized it for what it was: the arrogance and confidence of someone born with talent, reinforced daily by the admiration of others.
She couldn’t help but be arrogant because she had never faced failure.
"Didn’t expect to see you here, older sister."
Alina continued, tilting her head slightly.
At least she still knew that she had an older sister—many, like Edric’s younger brother, would outright ignore him.
"I was nearby, so I decided to pay a visit to the building. I have something to check."
Morena kept her voice calm and composed. She knew how to navigate her sister’s tone, reading between every word, so she didn’t give too much detail.
Edric shifted beside her. He felt awkward being here yet being ignored, so he couldn’t help but pipe into the conversation.
"You’ve gotten sharper, Alina. That swing earlier looked pretty good."
Alina’s eyes flicked toward him briefly, her smile never reaching him; it was clear she had a dislike for the man.
"I wasn’t speaking to you."
He chuckled, unfazed. He was already used to the way Alina treated him, so he didn’t care much for it.
Morena watched the exchange with mild interest. Her sister had always disliked Edric—he represented everything she disapproved of: recklessness, aimlessness, and worst of all, she believed that he was a bad influence on Morena.
She wasn’t wrong, but that was a matter of the past. The current Morena saw no interest in doing the things her past self did—drinking and wasting her life away. It was a fool’s errand.
Alina’s gaze returned to her.
"You shouldn’t hang around him so much."
Morena’s tone was light, but it wasn’t a question—she was merely playing along with her sister’s statement.
Alina folded her arms, her expression softening slightly.
"I just mean... You’ve changed. You don’t train like you used to, you don’t even eat with the family anymore. Father misses you, our younger brother misses you. All I’m saying is—don’t let him drag you back into it."
She didn’t look at Edric, but her meaning was clear. She didn’t want Morena getting into trouble and being dragged down by him. She understood somewhat the troubles her sister faced, the pressure, but having never faced it herself, she couldn’t fully comprehend.
Morena didn’t fault the girl for this—she was young, younger than her now. She couldn’t possibly understand the struggles the past Morena faced. And it seemed that she did truly care for her sister.
"The family can’t afford another scandal. Not with the elder council watching so closely."
Morena smiled at the girl’s words. She genuinely found the girl’s care amusing, somewhat touching even.
"And you’re so certain they’re watching me?"
Alina hesitated for a second before smiling again, more gently this time.
"I understand your position. But remember—everything we do reflects on the Ravenscroft name. Just try to put the family first."
Morena gave a small nod but said no more. Instead, her mind drifted to her thoughts.
Her sister likely meant it with the best intentions, but her words came out laced with condescension. It was easy to be noble and self-righteous when you had talent—when you had the power to back your words.
Still, Morena didn’t take any of it to heart because she knew better. Instead, she turned her thoughts to something more productive.
[For accurate full-body analysis, physical contact is required.]
Morena stepped forward and closed the distance between them, her expression softening slightly as she opened her arms and wrapped them around her sister, patting her back softly.
"You’ve gotten stronger, Alina."
Her sister blinked, her body stiffened as she didn’t expect the sudden hug, then let out a laugh.
"Well, I do train every day. You should try it sometime."
[Initiating deep scan...]
The AI moved quickly, processing everything it could. Energy flow, elemental concentration, core stability, and even muscle density. It only took seconds, but the data collected was invaluable.
"Thanks for the encouragement."
Alina raised an eyebrow but smiled anyway.
"Anytime. Just stay out of trouble, okay?"
There was a brief pause, the kind that signaled a conversation nearing its end.
"I should get going."
"I promised the maid I’d stop by the market."
Alina didn’t question it. She already knew how free-spirited her sister had become. She didn’t mind as long as she stayed out of trouble.
Morena gave a slight wave as she turned and walked away, Edric still lingering behind on the hill, the man having been pushed out of the conversation.
She didn’t look back.
The moment she was out of earshot, she spoke again.
"AI, compile everything from the scan. I want a full report on her strength and elemental affinity."
[Understood. Processing data.]
She smiled faintly to herself as she awaited the information, making her way over to the building.